The Turning Tide Snippet 2

Sitrep:
Still nothing from Goodlifeguide.com
I just sent them a late correction. Hopefully it makes it into the manuscript.

Oh, as far as print projects are concerned, I finished the MSE droid and Quinjet. I tried to do the shield logo yesterday with stencils but it didn't work. A little bit of sanding got it off. The hairy Chewbacca is a mess. lol
I am printing my first mech now. Karanak's spider mech made by a 3D modeler on Thingyverse. :)

On to the snippet:

Chapter 2

PROTODON

“Finally!” an ensign said excitedly as the ship prepared to move out. Captain T'roi of the Resolution class heavy cruiser Xiten'xha chose to ignore it.

She and her ship had been stuck on picket duty for some time. At first she'd resented it; she'd joined to fight the pirates not to sit in Protodon and exercise other ships up to do the job. But, as she'd come to know Protodon and her job, she'd found she'd come to enjoy it. Not only was she the senior naval commander, but she'd also been on hand to see Protodon change and become a part of the Federation. She liked to think she'd played some small part in that.

Recently she'd been a little uncomfortable because she'd been informed that a flag officer and staff were coming to relieve her. Instead of going to the front as she'd expected, she had been informed only the day prior that her ship would return to Antigua to stand-down for refit and resupply. Her crew would have been broken up with those who were most deserving of promoting getting them and being assigned to other ships.

Her own fate had been uncertain, but she'd like to think she'd acquainted herself well in Protodon and would therefore have earned another command in a battle cruiser or dare she hope a super dreadnought?

But, whatever plans the black hole minded BUPERS had in mind were on hold due to the recent crisis. So, for the first time she was headed to the rescue of Second Fleet with just about everything in the star system. Even ships that she'd thought were marginal due to damage that was still being repaired were going with her instead of on to Antigua. She had two CEVs, her mixed cruiser squadron, two destroyer squadrons, the partially repaired ships, and some support ships to contend with. Most of the repaired ships were unsuited for combat let alone a flat-out run so she counted them out.

It wasn't enough to go up against the enemy capital ships she knew—not by a long shot. But, it was a start. They had taken on every fighter and bomber that could get to them from the orbital carrier fortresses near the jump point as well. The hangar decks were packed, but she at least had them on hand for Second Fleet. They'd have to do something about ordinance later.

“ETA on the jump point, one hour ten minutes, Captain. All ships are forming up on our beacon. The rest will jump when they get to the jump zone as specified in our orders,” her XO stated.

“Very well,” the captain said, settling herself in the saddle. Her people were anxious but excited. She couldn't blame them; she was as well. “Status on the hyperdrive?”

“Hyperdrive is charging at 1 percent a minute. Current level is 40 percent, 40.15,” the OPS tech reported. “All systems nominal.”

“Navigational systems nominal. Our hyper course is plotted and in the buffer,” her navigator stated.

“Helm is ready,” the helmswoman stated.

“Very well. Make sure you keep a running feed with the other ships, no sense anyone getting bumped. And remind people that even though there is some urgency to this, it isn't a race. We need to get there as a coherent unit.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

“In fact, XO, look into more working-up exercises. We can't do them in hyper obviously, but we can look into working-up exercises as we transit B-95a3.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

“Ma'am, fresh orders from the ansible,” the comm officer reported.

The room seemed to stiffen a little.

“Yes?” the captain asked. “Should I be expecting a download?”

“No, ma'am. They are confirming that most of the picket in B-95a3 are enroute. We are to leave the two CEVs there as a reserve since they aren't fully worked up and ready. There is a confirmation from the B-95a3 picket as well as an update on their shipping schedule. The ships sent to Protodon should be arriving after we leave.”

“Of course they will. Well, they can mind the store, as humans like to say, while we're gone,” the Veraxin stated.

“Signal from the orbital fortress shell,” the comm officer stated.

“Yes?” the Veraxin asked, clearly getting exasperated as she signaled first-degree annoyance. She swiveled all eyes on the communication officer.

The Neodog shrugged as if to say don't shoot the messenger. “It is a simple wish for good luck and good hunting, ma'am. Shall I play it?”

“Pass. Pass on our thanks to them, Comm,” the Veraxin replied.

~~~^~~~